Economic downturn forces MJX to cancel Israel trip
By: Lauren Yoffe
Issue date: 12/9/09 Section: Israeli Affairs
Though the economy started its downward trend over a year ago, the effects of the recession continue to trickle down and impact students in their daily lives. For the first time since the program began, the Maryland Jewish Experience (MJX) will not offer a winter trip to Israel because of a lack of funding.
A mainstay of MJX, the Israel winter trip is a highly anticipated opportunity for Jewish University of Maryland students hoping to visit their place of ancestry, students said. The MEOR Heritage Foundation, the national organization responsible for planning the trips, has typically organized both winter and summer sessions to provide more students with the opportunity to participate.
With the current state of the economy, MEOR decided to cancel its entire winter program to Israel, and focus solely on its summer program.
Rabbi Ari Koretzky, the Executive Director for MJX at the University of Maryland, said MEOR plans to open up more spots for students at each university for the summer trip to compensate for the lack of the winter trip.
"They may allow us to take 22 students instead of 15," Koretzky said. "We're hoping we can do a winter trip next year…people are waiting for the economy to turn around."
Danielle Baranson, a senior family science and dance double major who went on the Israel trip last winter, said the trip is more convenient for students during winter break, which is why has always typically been more popular than the summer program.
Many students have conflicts participating in the summer trip because, like Baranson, they have summer jobs, so the winter trip is more convenient. Baranson also said it is easier to dress modestly in Israel when the weather is cooler.
The cancellation of the winter Israel trip is just a temporary solution to funding issues with MEOR, and they hope to raise enough money to bring back the winter session for next year, Koretzky said.
"I don't think students will disappear from MJX [because there is no Israel trip this winter]," Baranson said. "They'll do it again eventually."
While many MJX students are disappointed they won't be able to go to Israel this winter, Baranson believes students will respond well to the summer trip. Activities such as snorkeling and swimming in the Dead Sea would have been more pleasant if she had gone in the summer, she said.
"College students have a realistic idea about what's going on in the economy," Baranson added. "I think the people at MJX have cultivated really good relationships with students, but they are obviously still disappointed."
A mainstay of MJX, the Israel winter trip is a highly anticipated opportunity for Jewish University of Maryland students hoping to visit their place of ancestry, students said. The MEOR Heritage Foundation, the national organization responsible for planning the trips, has typically organized both winter and summer sessions to provide more students with the opportunity to participate.
With the current state of the economy, MEOR decided to cancel its entire winter program to Israel, and focus solely on its summer program.
Rabbi Ari Koretzky, the Executive Director for MJX at the University of Maryland, said MEOR plans to open up more spots for students at each university for the summer trip to compensate for the lack of the winter trip.
"They may allow us to take 22 students instead of 15," Koretzky said. "We're hoping we can do a winter trip next year…people are waiting for the economy to turn around."
Danielle Baranson, a senior family science and dance double major who went on the Israel trip last winter, said the trip is more convenient for students during winter break, which is why has always typically been more popular than the summer program.
Many students have conflicts participating in the summer trip because, like Baranson, they have summer jobs, so the winter trip is more convenient. Baranson also said it is easier to dress modestly in Israel when the weather is cooler.
The cancellation of the winter Israel trip is just a temporary solution to funding issues with MEOR, and they hope to raise enough money to bring back the winter session for next year, Koretzky said.
"I don't think students will disappear from MJX [because there is no Israel trip this winter]," Baranson said. "They'll do it again eventually."
While many MJX students are disappointed they won't be able to go to Israel this winter, Baranson believes students will respond well to the summer trip. Activities such as snorkeling and swimming in the Dead Sea would have been more pleasant if she had gone in the summer, she said.
"College students have a realistic idea about what's going on in the economy," Baranson added. "I think the people at MJX have cultivated really good relationships with students, but they are obviously still disappointed."
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posted 12/10/09 @ 8:48 AM EST
Many students have conflicts participating in the summer trip because, like Baranson, they have summer jobs, so the winter trip is more convenient.
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